Probation violators sentenced in common pleas

GALLIPOLIS — Three individuals were sentenced this week in the Common Pleas Court of Gallia County after their original probation sentences were revoked.

Daniel Ray Marcum, 32, Columbus, was sentenced on Wednesday to 17 months of imprisonment in the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction after he pleaded guilty to one count of drug possession.

Marcum was indicted in 2012 after he was found to be in the possession of 16 Opana tablets on June 25, 2012, and had allegedly prepared the drug for resale.

The defendant was also reportedly in the possession of $5,068 cash at the time of his arrest, and was subsequently ordered to forfeit the money to the Ohio State Highway Patrol in this case.

Marcum, who, according to documents in his case file, has prior convictions in the Franklin County Common Pleas Court, was sentenced on November 16, 2012, to 24 months of community control after pleading guilty to a fourth-degree felony charge of drug possession.

A warrant was later issued for his arrest in July 2013 after it was believed that he had absconded supervision.

Marcum was arrested earlier this month, and violations filed on January 15 indicate that among his probation violations the defendant failed to advise his probation officer of theft and drug paraphernalia convictions in the Franklin County Municipal Court from September 30, 2013, and had failed to make his monthly supervisory payment.

During Wednesday’s hearing, the defendant’s community control was revoked and he was sentenced to 17 months for drug possession. He was further ordered to pay the costs of prosecution and was given credit for 20 days served.

Also sentenced this week was Christopher David Meaige, 31, Gallipolis, who was sentenced on Tuesday to 11 months in a state prison after he pleaded guilty to one count of breaking and entering.

According to the indictment in this case, Meaige broke into a building belonging to Cremeens Concrete at 160 Georges Creek Road on December 27, 2012, and stole miscellaneous tools, a weed eater, a generator, a heavy duty equipment battery, a chain saw and electric motors, items valued at more than $7,500, but less than $150,000.

Meaige later entered a guilty plea in this case in April 2013, pleading guilty to breaking and entering, and he was sentenced in May to two years of probation and further ordered to complete the SEPTA (Southeastern Probation Treatment Alternative) program.

The court also ordered that the defendant pay restitution to Cremeens Concrete in the amount of $3,000 and that he have no contact with the victim in this case.

Probation violations were later filed on December 16, 2013, after the defendant had only made one payment toward his supervisory fee, had failed to make all of his office visits with his probation officer and had failed to advise his probation officer of his loss of employment.

During Tuesday’s hearing, Meaige’s community control was revoked and he was ordered to serve 11 months of imprisonment. He was granted 123 days credit for time served.

Jordan W. Merry, 20, Gallipolis, was sentenced on Monday after his community control was similarly revoked for probation violations.

According to the indictment in this case, Merry was in the possession of 0.6 grams of heroin on August 8, 2012, a fifth degree felony.

After pleading guilty to this charge in March 2013, Merry was sentenced on October 11, 2013, to serve a two-year probation sentence. Violations were then filed on November 1, 2013, after Merry tested positive for opiates on October 31, and allegedly admitted to using heroin a few days prior to his test.

He later failed to appear for a final hearing in this case on January 13 and was subsequently arrested on January 15. He later posted a $25,000, 10 percent bond for his release and was ordered to appear for his final hearing on Monday.

During Monday’s hearing, Merry was sentenced to 11 months of imprisonment for drug possession and was given credit for 19 days served. He was further ordered to pay the costs of prosecution.